This job called teaching is a difficult, time consuming and personality depleting occupation. Yet, on the other hand, it is a vital and important career as it trains people who will forge ahead and develop new avenues, create fresh approaches and hopefully invent improved stuff. Or, sadly, repeat an old fad because enough time has passed, a new generation or two has come and gone and what was popular in the 50's now is popular again in the 2000's.

For me personally, I approach teaching as a constantly growing evolving entity. Why, you ask? Simply put, I want the class content to meet the needs of the students, meet my needs, adjust with changing times and to constantly dig into the subject matter of the class in order to discover unseen facts, ideas, theories and others approaches and frankly, to be able to include aspects that I wasn't aware of nor of its significance/importance to the subject matter. This may have a historical quality too as I am less interested in following fads and new approaches just because they are new and fresh. I can't deal with that sort of shallow and superficial approach to learning and teaching. If it is that easy then maybe it isn't of any significance. Each fad or new idea will need to be evaluated for it's worth.

I try to design courses and the assignments for courses that will teach and train certain important and necessary aspects, skill development and conceptual thinking ability typically found in the Illustration Industry, since that is the area in which I teach. I no longer believe that a student's eventual success in life or in illustration is all up to me and the class I am teaching. I know I am not the gate keeper. I see classes yardage of the whole educational path. So, I try to put student on specific tasks that will teach principles and at the same time allow for their creative input. These two areas will tend to collide but with patience on both my and the students part, the class will be a positive learning experience.

Almost on a quarter to quarter basis, I make small adjustments and changes to assignments, content and course schedule. I try to think about changes as a long term goal and make several small changes that add up to big differences and outcomes.

I try to be consistent, patient and yet maintain structure and discipline to all that comes across my teaching plate. I try to remain interested and engaged in all aspects of what I teach. I fell this keeps me involved. But teaching is a job that I do in order to earn a living so I can eat, have a roof over my head, dress myself and save for the future. Teaching is not a high calling where I never get bored or tired or impatient or ticked off. But rather it is a job and I have to plan for, be on top of things, think, talk, reason and be pleasant even if I feel like going home.